USA TODAY Sports' Paul Myerberg counts down to the start of the college football season team by team from No. 128 to No. 1.

There's nothing technically wrong with the New Orleans Bowl, a postseason event that serves as a fair and just reward for regular-season successes – say, nine wins and the Sun Belt Conference championship. It's just that Louisiana-Lafayette wants more.

That the program is no longer satisfied with nine wins and annual postseason participation – the horror – is indicative of Mark Hudspeth's impact on what was previously one of college football's do-nothings: Louisiana-Lafayette's still an underdog, befitting its Sun Belt roots, but Hudspeth has given the Ragin' Cajuns some bite.

Now's the time to do more. Hudspeth's nine-win debut remains one of the great coaching achievements in Sun Belt history; his nine-win follow-up neared the debut's equal in cause for celebration; last year's nine-win finish continued the trend at the expense of an win-column uptick, leaving two regular-season wins on the field in November.

Now or never, perhaps, if you buy into the idea that Hudspeth's days in Lafayette are numbered. Schools are paying attention: Hudspeth has 27 wins in three years at a program that won 44 games during the decade prior to his arrival. At this point, as he enters year four, the only thing higher than Hudspeth's stock are his numbers on the bench press.

And the team is primed for more. The Cajuns return 17 starters, the most in the Sun Belt. ULL was the consensus pick to win the Sun Belt, earning all 11 first-place votes in the preseason media poll. The preseason all-conference team features eight Cajuns, including the entire offensive backfield – yes, the quarterback and both running backs.

The window isn't closing, not necessarily, but the clock is ticking. Hence the expectations: ULL wants – and needs – to make the most of the opportunity for a breakthrough. For the first time in program history, nine wins might be viewed as a disappointment.

LAST YEAR'S PREDICTION:

But this is a team with obvious 10-win potential should it land an upset win in September and settle a few lingering concerns before heading the meat of SBC play: right tackle, the fourth and fifth wide receiver, rush defensive end, cornerback. I'd be very surprised if the Cajuns don't end the year with at least eight wins and atop the Sun Belt standings.

2013 RECAP:

In a nutshell: Another nine-win season for Hudspeth and the Cajuns, who cruised through Sun Belt play to essentially secure a piece of the conference title by mid-November but went on cruise control until the postseason, costing the program its first double-digit-win season as a member of the Football Bowl Subdivision. Perhaps there's a lesson here: ULL was sluggish in a loss to Louisiana-Monroe and totally listless against South Alabama, with those losses showing that for all the program's gains – and there have been some major gains – it is not quite at the point where it can simply show up and win against upper-half conference competition. The sour taste of a sloppy close was removed somewhat with a New Orleans Bowl victory against Tulane, another in-state program making substantial strides, giving ULL a boost of confidence heading into the offseason.

Tidbit: ULL is one of 12 programs in the FBS to have at least nine wins in each of the past three seasons. The others: Alabama, Cincinnati, Clemson, Florida State, LSU, Nebraska, Northern Illinois, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina and Stanford.

Offense: This offense has every tool needed to lead the Sun Belt in each major statistical category. Begin at quarterback, where Terrance Broadway stands as the perfect triggerman for Hudspeth's friendly system. His production is nearly guaranteed; Broadway enters his third year as the Cajuns' starter with a concrete understanding of the scheme, which can't be overlooked, and has the dual-threat ability to stand as the league's best at the position. But there's a catch: ULL needs Broadway to be healthy. We saw this down the stretch last fall, when ULL dropped games to ULM and South Alabama without Broadway under center – he injured his arm during the loss to the Warhawks and missed all of the finale against the Jaguars. When healthy, however, Broadway is as good a fit for his specific system as any quarterback in the country. As we enter fall camp, Broadway is the preseason favorite for the league's offensive player of the year.

The backfield as a whole stands heads and shoulders above the rest of the Sun Belt. In addition to Broadway, the Cajuns return running backs Alonzo Harris (942 yards and 14 touchdowns) and Elijah McGuire (863 yards), superb players individually who work even better in concert. Harris, a senior, does the dirty work inside the box; McGuire, a sophomore, churns out yards in bunches off the corner. The latter adds substantial production and explosiveness through the air, as illustrated in his 80-yard grab in last year's win against Georgia State. Broadway, Harris, McGuire … it's almost unfair. While they only see the field in certain packages, juniors Effrem Reed and Torrey Pierce are reliable in small doses.

The receiver corps does need to replace Darryl Surgent, though his loss will be felt more painfully on special teams. By and large, Broadway will have the same lead tools as his disposal: Jamal Robinson (54 receptions for 862 yards) returns, as does James Butler (26 for 363), with this pair clearly leading the charge in the passing game – with Robinson among the Sun Belt's best. But the Cajuns do need to address the second tier of the depth chart, adding weapons to the top pair, and should do so with some combination of converted defensive back Al Riles, sophomores Lance Pace, Devin Scott and Jared Johnson, and JUCO transfers C.J. Bates and Dylan Bossier. Making sure Broadway has four or five consistent options in the passing game should be one of Hudspeth's top priorities during fall camp.

Jamal Robinson (15) could push for 1,000 yards this season as the Cajuns' lead receiving option.(Photo: Chuck Cook, USA TODAY Sports)

Defense: Based on the returning talent and experience, the Cajuns' defense should likewise rank among the best in the Sun Belt – the offense is better, perhaps by more than just a step or two, but the defense has the personnel to carry its fair share of water during conference play. The three-man front is largely intact, though there's a hole at tackle: ULL needs to find a replacement for Brandon McCray, and could go with a number of different options depending on down and distance. On early downs, ULL could lean toward 385-pound redshirt freshman Sherard Johnson, who could be imposing in a small role, and 325-pound sophomore Jacoby Briscoe. Another option – likely one used on passing downs – would be to go lighter, sliding sophomore Remaine Douglas and senior Marvin Martin as hybrid end-tackles, in a sense. But the top trio is set: Christian Ringo and Justin Hamilton are all-conference caliber and junior Marquis White, the new addition to the starting lineup, has fared well in a reserve role. If Ringo is healthy – and I don't believe he ever was last season – his tandem with Hamilton will be difficult for the SBC to handle.

The star of the second level is a hybrid, junior Dominique Tovell (67 tackles, 12.0 for loss), who will often fill a role that plays to his pass-rush abilities – though he needs to do a better job sealing the deal – while putting his 245-pound frame in space, where his athleticism is a clear asset. But unlike last fall, Tovell may be used more on the strong side, ceding a portion of those hybrid responsibilities to senior Jake Molbert – though I see ULL moving Tovell around in an effort to create mismatches up front. This pair will flank senior Trae Johnson (32 tackles) and junior Chris Hill (39 tackles), but I imagine the Cajuns' staff is going to find a way to get former LSU transfer Trey Granier into the mix as the top reserve linebacker. The unit as a whole is a touch less impressive without Justin Anderson, last year's starter in the middle, but remains among the top three in the Sun Belt.

Chris Hill, who had 39 tackles last season, is a key returning linebacker for the Cajuns.(Photo: Beth Hall, USA TODAY Sports)

When it comes to the Sun Belt, only Arkansas State can tout a stronger back seven – though, to be fair, the Red Wolves' back seven is a full step ahead of the Cajuns' version. ULL's secondary comes close, however, particularly among the top four. The biggest change – and it's a great idea – has senior Trevance Patt (57 tackles) moving from cornerback to strong safety, where he'll team with senior free safety Sean Thomas (63 tackles, 3 interceptions) to solidify the back end. The Cajuns' third returning starter, senior Corey Trim (45 tackles), will be joined at cornerback by sophomore Dominick Jones, a relative neophyte. That's a bit of an issue, I'd say, but the Cajuns could always turn the job over to JUCO transfer Antoinne Adkins and make Jones the defense's third or fourth option on the outside.

Special teams: Hunter Stover should wrestle away kicking duties from Stephen Brauchle, though the latter could conceivably be used in certain field-goal situations. The punter spot's in solid hands with senior Daniel Cadona, but the kicking game as a whole is ULL's greatest weakness. Let's just say the same of the entire special teams: ULL will not hold the advantage in or out of conference play.

POSITION(S) TO WATCH:

Offensive line: To be precise: center. The other four spots are secure – decided in personnel and very secure in production – but a hole does exist in the middle, where the Cajuns must replace a leader in Andre Huval. Initially, the staff had thoughts of moving senior Terry Johnson over from left guard, where he started last season; this plan changed after Johnson was slowed by injury during spring drills. Though Johnson could conceivably slide over in a pinch, the pre-fall plan has ULL auditioning redshirt freshman Grant Horst – way too undersized at this point to be a full-time contributor, I think – and JUCO transfer Eddie Gordon. Replacing Huval will be a major task, but the Cajuns have to feel good about the players surrounding the new starter. ULL will flank Gordon – I'm assuming he eventually nabs the job – with Johnson and senior right guard Daniel Quave, the latter likely the Sun Belt's best interior lineman. On the outside, Broadway's blind side will again be protected by junior Mychal Quave, who I think will improve in his second season at left tackle, while junior Octravian Anderson returns at right tackle.

GAME(S) TO WATCH:

Arkansas State: Want to win your first outright conference title since 1970? Then beat the Red Wolves – and the Red Wolves aren't going away quietly. But for a team with grander plans, of visions beyond a simple Sun Belt title, games against Mississippi and Boise State provide the opportunity for national noise and a national ranking. Both are on the road, however, and in extremely hostile environments to boot.

SEASON BREAKDOWN & PREDICTION:

In a nutshell: Don't even ask the question: Yes, Louisiana-Lafayette is the class of the Sun Belt. A better question would pose where the Ragin' Cajuns stand in the historical perspective of the Sun Belt; I'd suggest that, on paper, this looks like one of the best teams in conference history. They'll play the games, the Cajuns will win some and lose some, but this is certain: ULL has everything you'd need – outside of a kicking game – to no just win the Sun Belt title but dominate. Expectations are high, and they're high for a reason.

There's so much to adore. The offense is simply spectacular, with no flaws, very few weaknesses and a number of overwhelming positives – the Cajuns have the league's best quarterback, best running backs, best offensive line and a top-three receiver corps. The defensive back seven trails Arkansas State, true, but no other defense in the conference matches the Cajuns' top-to-bottom personnel consistency. In the Sun Belt, the Cajuns are the total package. Anything less than seven wins during league play and the outright crown would be a massive disappointment.

Perhaps it's time to dream a little bigger. Games against the Rebels and Broncos will help put this team on the map, should the Cajuns notch an upset. But those are the only games where ULL can adopt a moral-victory approach – the idea that a close loss, if tightly contested, is nothing to sneeze at. The rest must be viewed as not just winnable; the Cajuns need to look at the remaining 10 contests as must-win. There's going to be slipup along the way, I'd say, but ULL should notch 10 wins altogether and challenge for a national ranking – but won't earn a spot in the top 25 without a win against one of those two non-conference foes.

Dream season: The Cajuns go 11-1, losing to Mississippi in September but running the table to earn a national ranking.

Nightmare season: ULL goes 8-4 and finishes tied for second in the Sun Belt.

UP NEXT:

Who's No. 39? This program's losses have come by an average of 13.6 points since its current coach joined the program.

RANKING EVERY FBS TEAM FOR 2014

No. 128 UMass: The Minutemen have a new coach, Mark Whipple, but the same outlook on what should be a dismal 2014 season. Even in a Mid-American Conference without viable contenders outside the top four, UMass is a long shot to win more than one game during the regular season. USA TODAY Sports

No. 127 Florida International: One season after playing the worst football of its Football Bowl Subdivision existence, FIU attempts to rebound under second-year coach Ron Turner. The Golden Panthers would need to take three significant steps forward to merely contend in Conference USA. USA TODAY Sports

No. 126 Eastern Michigan: Chris Creighton steps into Ypsilanti and assumes one of the toughest coaching jobs in the country. The Eagles’ new coach will have a promising young quarterback to work with but not much else. It’s going to be another down season for EMU. USA TODAY Sports

No. 125 Georgia State: Georgia State is no longer the worst program in the country, which is a good start. Next, GSU must embrace Trent Miles’ approach on both sides of the ball while the staff adds talent on the recruiting trail. The future might still hold promise, but this year’s team is only slightly improved compared to last year’s version. USA TODAY Sports

No. 124 Georgia Southern: One of the nation’s newest Football Bowl Subdivision brings a history of success and last year’s win against Florida to the table. But Georgia Southern is still undergoing a coaching change while adapting to the heightened level of competition, two factors that set the bar low for 2014. USA TODAY Sports

No. 123 Hawaii: The goodwill has run out on Norm Chow, who has coached Hawaii through its worst two-year stretch in decades. To improve, the Warriors need to locate a quarterback and find a pulse on defense to match with the rest of the Mountain West Conference. USA TODAY Sports

No. 122 Miami (Ohio): A program built on a history of successful coaching hires now hands the reins to former Notre Dame assistant Chuck Martin. While he’s an upgrade on the sidelines, Martin is going to need at least two years to rebuild the RedHawks from the bottom up. USA TODAY Sports

No. 121 Idaho:
Paul Petrino’s fiery style and offensive mindset has fit well into the Vandals’ underdog mentality, but drive and hunger will only get you so far without the talent needed to win more than three games during the regular season. Idaho’s offense is better, but the team as a whole still lags. That talent took another hit on July 20 when Dezmon Epps (1) was kicked off the team in the wake of a DUI. USA TODAY Sports

No. 120 UAB: This program is excited about its potential under Bill Clark, who replaces Garrick McGee, but Clark has his hands full with a roster and program beaten down by a miserable decade. If the Blazers do exceed expectations, Clark’s ability to maximize his roster will be the cause. USA TODAY Sports

No. 119 Appalachian State: This program moves up a level after a surprisingly ineffective final year in the Football Championship Subdivision. To rebound, the Mountaineers need to rely on a pair of sophomores at quarterback and running back. While the promise is there, the first year could be ugly. USA TODAY Sports

No. 118 Army: Go Army, beat Navy. But first, the Cadets must prove they can beat any team on the 2014 schedule. A coaching change helps, but Todd Monken needs to roll up his sleeves and bring back some toughness to a program too accustomed to season-ending losses to the rival Midshipmen. USA TODAY Sports

No. 117 Western Michigan: P.J. Fleck and the Western Michigan staff can recruit, but can they coach? The jury’s still out after a 1-11 season, and even if talent is on the way it’s hard to imagine the new freshmen immediately reversing the Broncos’ slide to the bottom of the Mid-American Conference. USA TODAY Sports

No. 116 California: Cal’s shortage of talent, experience and depth makes the Golden Bears the weakest major-conference program in the country. Playing in the Pac-12 doesn’t help. In terms of a positive, Sonny Dykes has found his quarterback and has accumulated enough receivers to make this passing game work. USA TODAY Sports

No. 115 New Mexico State: The schedule will paint a better picture, but New Mexico State remains one of the weaker programs in the country. Even if the Aggies squeeze out four wins, they are devoid of the sort of difference-making talent to contend for a top-five finish in the Sun Belt Conference. USA TODAY Sports

No. 114 UTEP: The Miners need to remain healthy after a season ravaged by injuries. Second-year coach Sean Kugler can’t control injuries, but he’s on the hook for one of the worst defenses in college football. Helping matters is an offense led by quarterback Jameill Showers, but it won’t be enough. USA TODAY Sports

No. 113 Southern Mississippi: With a long losing streak over, the Golden Eagles can look forward to this fall on a high note. Optimism helps, but to regain a foothold in Conference USA the Eagles must do a better job protecting the football and limiting big plays on defense. The outlook is still pessimistic. USA TODAY Sports

No. 112 Kansas: Charlie Weis enters his third year at Kansas with little hope of bringing the Jayhawks out of the Big 12 cellar. The offense lacks skill players, has no help up front and a rookie at quarterback. The defense could be a nice story, but only if the pass rush improves. As is, KU is the weakest team in the league. USA TODAY Sports

No. 111 UNLV: The team must continue last year’s push without the opportunity to reach another bowl game, thanks to an NCAA postseason ban. While the talent is there, Bobby Hauck and the Rebels could struggle matching last season’s finish without any hopes of playing into December. USA TODAY Sports

No. 110 New Mexico: Three years after his arrival, Bob Davie has successfully added the depth needed to reach the postseason. But New Mexico’s questionable defense, shortage of experience on both sides of the ball and lack of balance on defense should prevent the Lobos from breaking through to six wins. USA TODAY Sports

No. 109 Tulane: The program's biggest issue will be the increased level of difficulty with the move from Conference USA to the American Athletic Conference. Another concern is a roster that lacks the experience and proven production needed to run with teams like UCF, Cincinnati and Houston. USA TODAY Sports

No. 108 Purdue: This team is at least another full season away from being considered more than an afterthought in the Big Ten. One issue is talent: Purdue has none. Another is the feeling that this program is headed on a downturn due to years of coaching missteps and mismanagement. USA TODAY Sports

107 Kent State: With big gaps in the backfield and defensive tackle, Kent State will need a team effort to move back into bowl play. That won’t happen unless the offense locates a receiver, the defense lands a pass rush and the team as a whole lucks into one or two upset wins. The Golden Flashes are headed for a four-win season. USA TODAY Sports

No. 106 Old Dominion: ODU is the best first-year Football Bowl Subdivision program in recent history, if that means anything. What the Monarchs do well is move the ball offensively; what they do poorly is play defense. While Old Dominion has the foundation to eventually succeed, the first season is always the hardest. USA TODAY Sports

No. 105 Wake Forest: First-year coach Dave Clawson is familiar with rebuilding projects, which should come in handy as he takes over for Jim Grobe at Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons are too young to contend on either side of the ball against the best teams in the ACC, but things might need to get worse before they get better. USA TODAY Sports

No. 104 Kentucky: The Wildcats’ recruiting efforts yielded one of the nation’s best classes in February, but those incoming freshmen will need at least a season or two to get a taste of the Southeastern Conference. While Kentucky’s future remains bright, Mark Stoops and his staff need at least one more mulligan before being viewed by wins and losses. Look for more of the latter in 2014. USA TODAY Sports

No. 103 Wyoming: Landing one of the top Football Championship Subdivision coaches in history made this a successful offseason. Whether it’ll be a successful regular season depends on whether or not Craig Bohl can work miracles with this roster. Bohl’s a great hire, but no coach in the country could lead the Cowboys to the top of the Mountain West Conference. USA TODAY Sports

No. 102 Air Force: A down season led Air Force to recommit itself to competition. That should lead to the best 22 players starting on both sides of the ball, but it won’t be enough to totally overhaul a defense fresh off the worst season in program history. The Falcons should be happy with four or five wins. USA TODAY Sports

No. 101 Colorado: Colorado’s a four-win team in the Pac-12, one of two in the conference without a realistic hope of reaching bowl eligibility. That’s a negative, but the program’s recent growth points to a bright future. That breakthrough is coming in 2015, however. USA TODAY Sports

No. 100 SMU: The Mustangs need a jolt of energy after a sluggish 2013 season. Unfortunately, the offense lost its top receivers and the defense is dangerously young in the secondary. Combined, SMU looks like one of the bottom three teams in the American Athletic Conference. USA TODAY Sports

No. 99 Iowa State: The Mark Mangino-led offense might be good enough to steal an upset during Big 12 play, but the defense ensures another season of nine or more losses for the Cyclones. In total, Iowa State has the league’s worst defense from top to bottom. USA TODAY Sports

No. 98 Rutgers: This team is going to struggle at first in joining the Big Ten, if only due to a nasty schedule, but the real test will be whether or not the program can regain some footing and eventually challenge for footing in the East Division. When it comes to 2014, the Scarlet Knights are headed for eight losses. USA TODAY Sports

No. 96 Memphis: The coaching is in place, the losing mentality has been reversed and the roster has been rebuilt, but Memphis remains a year away from ending its long and painful absence from the postseason. One reason is a brutal schedule. Another is the lack of depth nearly across the board, which could cause the Tigers to fall apart if injuries are an issue during the second half. Troy Taormina, USA TODAY Sports

No. 95 Virginia: This program's defense might be good enough to lead the Cavaliers to four or five wins during the regular season, but a young offense and a general lack of confidence could doom 2014 before the start of ACC play. If UVa does again find itself at or near the bottom of the conference, the university might opt to make a coaching change. USA TODAY Sports

No. 94 Akron: If no longer the doormat of the Mid-American Conference, Akron remains a season away from reaching bowl eligibility under Coach Terry Bowden. While the Zips have talent and confidence, the lack of experience and depth will be an issue against the better teams on the 2014 schedule. USA TODAY Sports

No. 92 South Florida: Willie Taggart's blueprint for South Florida has been recruiting, as his latest class doubled as the best in the American Athletic Conference. But the team needs coaching; it needs leadership, conviction and a sense of identity, and it definitely needs a quarterback. USA TODAY Sports

No. 91 Texas State: Unsatisfied with six wins, Texas State spent the offseason installing an up-tempo offense and a new aggressive style on defense. In the long run, these changes will help the Bobcats get over the hump and contend for the Sun Belt Conference championship. In 2014, however, the Bobcats should struggle in the transition to the new philosophies. USA TODAY Sports

No. 90 Western Kentucky: The Hilltoppers and Jeff Brohm begin play in Conference USA with a questionable passing game and nine new full-time starters on defense. While the Hilltoppers should be competitive in Conference USA, it should take a year for the program to solve its issues on both sides of the ball. Jim Brown, USA TODAY Sports

No. 89 Arkansas: A dreadful passing game and holes on defense will doom
Arkansas to another losing season. Then there’s the schedule, which ranks among
the most difficult for any team in the country. The Razorbacks need at least
one more year before they make noise in the SEC West Division.
<o:p></o:p> Nelson Chenault, USA TODAY Sports

No. 88 North Carolina State: The Wolfpack is counting on a collection of campus newcomers and a former star recruit turned transfer - Jacoby Brissett - for a turnaround in 2014. Rob Kinnan, USA TODAY Sports

No. 85 Central Michigan:
Running back Saylor Lavallii (6) is one of the reasons the Chippewas are one of the most experienced teams in the MAC. But they also have questions at a number of positions, including quarterback. James Guillory, USA TODAY Sports

No. 84 Illinois:
Running back Donovonn Young (5) and the Fighting Illini tend to be unpredictable in their performance, but they have high hopes that solid quarterbacking will provide a quick reversal of fortune in 2014. Bradley Leeb, USA TODAY Sports

No. 83 Tulsa:
End Brentom Todd and his teammates on the defensive side of the ball may have to carry a little extra load as the Golden Hurricane offense rights itself in 2014. Beth Hall, USA TODAY Sports

No. 82 Nevada:Defensive end Rykeem Yates (55) and the Wolf Pack are aiming for a drastic improvement in run defense in 2014. And a return to the Nevada running game production of the past would help, too. Melina Vastola, USA TODAY Sports

No. 81 Boston College:
Eagles defensive back Sean Sylvia (19) is part of a secondary that needs to click quickly in 2014. But fortunately for B.C. other aspects of its team don't have a lot of questions, just growing expectations. Mark Konezny, USA TODAY Sports

No. 78 West Virginia:
The Mountaineers had a severely disappointing season in 2013, but with players with the talent of cornerback Daryl Worley dotting the roster, a turnaround in 2014 would not be surprising. Jerome Miron, USA TODAY Sports

No. 76 San Jose State:
Thomas Tucker (3) and San Jose State have the talent to contend for the Mountain West title, but the Spartans will have to resolve a big question at quarterback get a performance out of its new 4-3 defense that is worthy of its talent. Ed Szczepanski, USA TODAY Sports

No. 70: Middle Tennessee State
The Blue Raiders have perhaps Conference USA's best linebacker in T.T. Barber (38), but they will need to match their efficiency at stopping the run with their new commitment to an offensive run attack. Steve Mitchell, USA TODAY Sports

No. 69 Indiana:
The Hoosiers have an overhauled receiving corps, but its offensive line and backfield led by Tevin Coleman (6) gives Indiana one of the Big Ten's best attacks for 2014. Mike Carter, USA TODAY Sports

No. 67 Minnesota:
Though the Golden Gophers are strong on the run, quarterback Mitch Leidner (7) will need to get the passing game uncorked for the team to maximize its results this season. Jesse Johnson, USA TODAY Sports

No. 66 Utah:
The Utes are unsettled at many positions, adding value to the steady performance provided by players such as Dres Anderson (6), a 1,000-yard receiver in 2013. Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY Sports

No. 65 North Texas:
Antoinne Jimmerson (22) and teammates Reggie Pegram and Rex Rollins form a stout backfield for the Mean Green, which will rely on them heavily while sorting out its quarterback situation. Jerome Miron, USA TODAY Sports